AI (artificial intelligence) based healthcare system for elderly people - iChair

With the level of over 60-year olds in China set to double to a predicted 440 million by 2050, a corresponding increase in the 37.5 million over 60-year old mobility impaired (18.8%) is also forecast. Our solution is a telemedicine smart wheelchair which allows patients and caregivers to access patient data in real-time.

Heterogenous patient data collected from sensors attached to the wheelchair will be analysed in real-time using AI algorithms to diagnose any associated conditions. iChair helps save caregivers’ time and expense, while reducing medical intervention and trips to the hospital for the patient.

As a telemedicine product the iChair service, when used as a homecare product, will reduce the amount of travel for carers because in many circumstances they will not need to be present to monitor their patients. This reduction in travel will reduce traffic and environmental pollution. Additionally, this system is expected to reduce the need for unnecessary visits to hospital by allowing my targeted earlier interventions further reducing the requirement for road travel.

The wheelchair will empower users to lead a more independent life, thus giving them the greater possibility for employment opportunities, especially those who have had to take early retirement due to mobility problems. It will also increase the economic contribution to the Chinese economy due to opportunity cost of carers returning to the labour market. As doctors, nurses and caregivers become free to give patients more focused attention, with the numerous daily tasks being efficiently handled by the iChair system, the payoff will lead to improved quality of care and reduced hospital readmissions.

Medical errors are also expected to be reduced, thereby driving reduction of costs of clinical rehabilitative care and decreasing impact to families and caregivers, which goes together with the high growth rate of care assistance and automation predicted in the next 5 years.

The iChair project aims to develop and demonstrate a cost-effective wheelchair connectivity and remote monitoring technology which significantly increases user independence (mobility) and freedom (quality of living) while providing caregivers peace of mind and convenience.